Coinciding with the September 21
rallies, President Ramos announced - for the nth time! -
that he really would not seek a second term in 1998. And,
based on the results of a grassroots consultation hastily
conducted, in which the majority expressed opposition
against Charter change, or "Cha-cha", he declared that
there would be no Cha-cha before 1998.

But, the President suddenly came up
with a proposal to coincide the 1998 elections with the
election of the members of the constitutional convention
that will work for Cha-cha after 1998. Well, according to
the government, coinciding the exercise will save some
millions of pesos!

Today, 23rd September, the
Supreme Court rejected PIRMA's petition for
reconsideration of their so-called "people's initiative"
to reform the Constitution, wherein the group purportedly
gathered some 6 million signatures in support of amending
the Charter.

Today also, oil has increased by 50
centavos per liter. You can expect the price of all other
things to rise up in the coming days! Please take note,
the oil industry has been deregulated, water and
electricity too; and next on the line are the hospitals.

Following are some newspaper accounts
of the Anti-Charter Change, or "NO CHA-CHA", events held
around the country and the rally in Manila led by Cory and
the Cardinal. With the numbers that responded in the
provinces, well over a million Filipinos took to the
streets nationally to say "NO!"

600,000 ATTEND RIZAL
PARK RALLY: It was Cory magic all over.

In a lustily applauded address that
called to mind her stirring speech at Rizal Park when she
challenged Ferdinand Marcos for the presidency in 1986,
former president Corazon Aquino rallied all Filipinos
against attempts of those in power who tinker with the
Constitution to suit their self-interest.

To people "who want to stay in power,
by martial law or Charter change," Ms. Aquino sent this
clear and firm message: "No way and never again. Do your
worst, we will do our best to stop you. And we, the
people, will prevail." Variations of the message resonated
through most of her 10-minute speech, and the crowd of
about 600,000 agreed resoundingly by applauding it more
than a dozen times.

She had a specific and equally clear
message for President Ramos to let go when his term ends.
But the message was not harsh. It was more of a gentle but
earnest admonition to the man whom she anointed as her
successor five years ago.

She coupled it with a strong reminder,
not just to Ramos but also to those who want him to stay
longer in office for a job well done. "Doing your job well
was your duty and not a special favor for the country."

This portion of her speech was met with
wild applause. Journalists in the audience noted that even
leftist groups, united briefly with moderate forces in a
common stand against Charter change, also applauded.

Pres. Ramos, who watched a live TV
coverage of the rally, later issued a statement urging
everyone to "go back to work and move on," after the mass
action.

"Let me thank the Filipino people for
coming out and exercising their sovereign right to
assemble peacefully and to be heard," he said.

The President extended his thanks to Ms
Aquino and Cardinal Sin for their messages of
"reconciliation, humility, forgiveness and unity."

Cardinal Sin delivered the homily at a
Mass preceding Ms Aquino's address in which he hailed the
people as heroes for firmly rejecting an "immoral change"
of the Constitution at this time. "If in the heat of our
passionate love for our country and for our democracy,
words have been exchanged which have caused undue personal
hurt, we humbly ask the Lord and each affected person,
including the President, for forgiveness," Sin said.

Earlier, Ramos said he was not seeking
a term extension and that he was pushing for a
constitutional convention to discuss amendments after the
1998 elections. Sin's apology, however, strained the shaky
alliance between the Left and the Church.

"If they stop and believe Ramos, we
will continue to fight against Charter," said Satur Ocampo,
former spokesperson of the NDF [National Democratic
Front].

Fidel Agcaoili, head of the NDF's
negotiating panel on human rights, said the Left's
"objective alliance" with the Church and conservatives
would endure only if the latter stands against amending
the Constitution.

Ocampo and Agcaoili said the lifting of
term limits was just one of the dangers posed by
pro-amendment forces. They said the Left's basic
opposition to Charter change lay in the administration's
alleged plan to redefine the national patrimony, clip the
powers of the Supreme Court, and fully liberalize the
economy, among other things.

Sin said the people should be
"thankful" that their prayers were answered and their
actions rewarded. "(Mr. Ramos) has directed his partymates
to shelve legislative moves for a constituent assembly. He
has acknowledged that the people prefer a constitutional
convention after the 1998 elections," Sin noted. The
Cardinal is still convinced that Ramos will provide the
leadership necessary for the nation to face its problems,
including the "suddenly downward economy."

Across the nation, hundreds of
thousands of people poured into plazas, churches and
streets in a massive show of force against Charter change
and dictatorship. Church leaders spearheaded the protest
actions. Local officials joined them but were kept from
taking center stage to avoid giving the activities
partisan color.

In Davao City, protesters gathered at
the Rizal Park in what organizers considered as the
biggest multisectoral gathering since the fall of the
Marcos regime in 1986.

"We came here freely, we did not come
here for a fee," said Davao Archbishop Fernando Capalla,
wearing a bishop's robe and a baseball cap. [Capalla was
alluding to the crowd that welcomed the President’s
arrival in the city the previous day in support of
extending his stay in power.]

Unlike the President's crowd which had
to be cued to applaud, yesterday's rally was festive and
freewheeling and the crowd cheered lustily when other
marchers arrived at the park.

In Iligan City, some 10,000 people
occupied the entire city plaza. Protest leaders said they
were not convinced by the President's assurances that he
would step down next year.

In Cagayan de Oro City, at least 90% of
the city's public transportation was paralyzed as most
jeepney drivers joined the protests.

Thousands also packed the St. Augustine
Cathedral, where Msgr Rey Manuel Mansueto, vicar general
of the Cagayan de Oro Catholic Archdiocese, called on the
people to oppose moves to allow the President to stay in
power beyond 1998. About a third of those attending the
Mass came from nearby Misamis Oriental towns, arriving as
early as 7 a.m. in motor caravans.

Hundreds attended similar rallies in
Pagadian City and Ipil, Zamboanga del Sur, and in Dipolog
City.

In South Cotabato, Bishop Dinualdo
Gutierrez said some 100,000 gathered at the Oval plaza in
Gen. Santos City. Others placed the crowd at
50,000-70,000.

Some 1,000 placard-bearing farmers
marched around Ozamis City and joined the protesters at
the Ozamis Cathedral.

In the Visayas, some 300,000 people
joined protest actions against Charter amendments in Cebu,
Iloilo, Bacolod, Tagbilaran, Dumaguete, Roxas, Calbayog
and Kalibo. The biggest crowd was at the Cebu City Sports
Center, where Cebu Archbishop Ricardo, Cardinal Vidal and
some 500 priests officiated a Mass attended by tens of
thousands of people.

In Bacolod City, thousands gathered at
the public plaza to say, "No to another term for the
President and a return to dictatorship."

In Kalibo, tens of thousands came in
jeeps and trucks from the 17 towns of Aklan to attend a
huge prayer rally led by Bishop Gabriel Reyes at the
Pastrana Park.

In Tagbilaran, some 3,000 joined in the
protest rally led by Bohol Bishop Leopoldo Tumulak at the
Carlos P. Garcia Sports Complex.

In Iloilo City, the Rotary Amphitheater
overflowed with people from the province's 43 towns in
"the biggest mass action in Iloilo since the Edsa
Revolution," organizers said. People spilled into the
streets as they could no longer be accommodated in the
30,000-capacity structure.

In Roxas City, some 10,000 Capiceños
gathered for a prayer rally, described as the "mother of
all rallies" in the city. Politicians were allowed to
address the crowd.

In Pangasinan, the President's home
province, the absence of mass action against Charter
change was quite felt. "Our position is very clear. The
series of prayer vigils were centered on the call for
sobriety and for unity and peace. There is no politics
along the line," said Fr. Jonathan Sungcuan of the St.
John Cathedral.

But in other parts of Northern and
Central Luzon, the protests against Charter change pushed
through amid strong rains.

In Baguio City, the Sunday crowd that
gathered for the anti-Charter change protests was
estimated at 10,000.

In Tuguegarao, Cagayan, close to 10,000
people, among them workers, nuns, priests, students and
teachers, gathered in front of the town's Cathedral. They
danced and sang after the one-hour march.

In Angeles City, some 4,000 rallyists
braved strong rains to dramatize their opposition to
Charter change.

In Laoag City, at least 5,000 people
marched around the city led by Bishop Edmundo Abaya of the
Laoag Diocese. Children bore placards on the need for an
election and for the Constitution to remain.

[Extracts from: Philippine Daily
Inquirer, 22 Sept 1997]

SEPTEMBER 21 is no ordinary date for
Filipinos. On this day in 1972, Ferdinand Marcos declared
Martial Law. One target in his open authoritarian move was
the Constitution of the day which placed a two-term limit
on the presidential office.